Flaming crane causes motorway closure

A mobile crane burst into flames on a section of the A1 motorway near Seaton Burn, Newcastle upon Tyne, this morning, forcing the road to close.

The crane, owned by Manchester-based Winterlift, caught fire just before 7.45am this morning after it leaked hydraulic oil on a slip road, according to local paper the News Guardian.

It is expected to take most of the rest of the day to clear oil and foam from the road.